🏢 Hennepin County Library — Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis Central Library

The downtown flagship of the Hennepin County Library system, Minneapolis Central Library holds the largest collection in the county inside a light-filled César Pelli building on Nicollet Mall.

📖 About Minneapolis Central Library

Minneapolis Central Library anchors the Hennepin County Library system from its home on Nicollet Mall in the heart of downtown. The current 353,000-square-foot building, designed by architect César Pelli with Minneapolis firm Architectural Alliance, opened on May 20, 2006, replacing a 1961 modernist library on the site. Its dramatic glass atrium spans more than 8,000 square feet, and an 18,560-square-foot green roof planted with drought-resistant ground cover crowns the building. The library holds the largest collection in the entire Hennepin County system, and nearly all of it is accessible to the public. Specialized spaces range from Special Collections and the Cargill Gallery to Teen Central, a Best Buy Teen Tech Center, a Vinyl Revival listening room, and a Patent and Trademark Resource Center. More than 300 public computers and two levels of underground parking round out the downtown hub.

⭐ What makes this branch special

• Designed by architect César Pelli and opened in 2006, with a soaring glass atrium and an 18,560-square-foot green roof
• Holds the largest collection in the Hennepin County Library system, most of it open to the public
• Distinctive spaces include Special Collections, the Cargill Gallery, Teen Central, a Best Buy Teen Tech Center, and the Vinyl Revival listening room
• A federal Patent and Trademark Resource Center and 300-plus public computers serve downtown researchers and workers

📱 Free with a Hennepin County Library Card

Any Minnesota resident can get a library card free and unlock:

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions